


Earth and Fire

by P1rateW3nch



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-13
Updated: 2015-12-13
Packaged: 2018-05-06 10:34:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5413553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/P1rateW3nch/pseuds/P1rateW3nch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Yeah, this is going to be weird, just letting you know.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Earth and Fire

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, this is going to be weird, just letting you know.

The lights appeared out of the darkness. Calyn, the Treespeaker for his tribe, watched them. He knew these woods, and he had not seen lights such as these before. He asked the trees what they knew, but these lights made them afraid, and they did not answer his queries. He considered this. The trees were not known to be skittish past their first five decades, and this grove was old growth. He knew he could return to the tribe, but the warriors were performing their yearly rituals, and would not approve of a Treespeaker interrupting them. He sighed, and slowly moved toward the lights.

Reaching the edge of the tree line, Calyn saw the source of the lights. There was a creature, unlike any he had ever seen before, creating the lights. _Sparks_ Calyn realized. _It is no wonder why the trees fear this being_. He stayed still, watching this being, waiting to judge this new creature. 

###

Din Korlak was furious. He knew that he would never be accepted until he could master his flame. He knew it was there, and the strength and power built with every frustration until he could feel the power straining to come loose, but all he could manage was a handful of pitiful sparks. He spent hours trying, until the sun was setting and he needed to get back to his clan’s camp.

He yelled in frustration and kicked at a stone in the dirt. He heard a noise behind him and turned to see a massive creature slowly stepping out of the woods behind him. He yelled in fright and tried to run, but he tripped over the stone he had kicked loose and fell heavily to the forest floor. The being moved ponderously into the clearing, bracing it’s weight on it’s forelegs. Din Korlak couldn’t help but notice that those forelegs were wider than he was, and he whimpered in fear. The being stopped when Din cried out, cocking it’s head at him.

“Cautiously, I mean you no harm, small one. Comfortingly, I saw you trying to use magic. I believe I can help.”

Din scrambled to his feet, brushing himself off. “What… do you mean? You can’t… know about magic!”

The being studied him, then made a strange gesture. The roots of the tree next to Din erupted from the ground and formed themselves into a chair. Din stared, incredulous, as the being spoke again.

“Warmly, I am Calyn, Treespeaker for the elcor who dwell here.”

Din looked at Calyn, and back at the roots. He decided he could run if it came to that and sat in the newly formed chair. “I am Din… Korlak, of the Vol… clan. What can a Tree…speaker teach me of fire… though?”

The elcor moved to face Din. “Expansively, I have watched your efforts. You try to force the fire, not coax it. Return here at dawn. I will teach you.”

###

The next morning, Din walked into the clearing and saw Calyn waiting. He approached the elcor and demanded, “Well, teach… me!”

The elcor turned to him. “Patiently, you must learn to calm your mind. Sit, and reach for your magic, but do not touch it.”

Din grumbled, but did as he was bid. He could feel the hot pulse of the power at his core, leaping and twisting and demanding to be freed. From somewhere above him, he heard Calyn speaking.

“Instructively, observe your power. Learn its habits.”

Din mentally rolled his eyes, but did as instructed. The power danced and twined, never settling into any one form for more than a moment. But as Din watched, he noticed a portion that stayed more steady than the chaos around it. He focused on that core, and realized with a start that he could reach it. He nudged it a bit, and felt it move in the core of him. He brushed his awareness over it, and felt it respond to him. He laughed as he learned the core, making it dance to his rhythm, slowly and awkwardly at first, but gradually gaining more affinity for it. He held up a hand and opened his eyes as a ball of flame erupted into being in his palm.

He was startled to realize that it had grown dark, the flame in his palm the only source of light under the trees. He leapt to his feet, frantically trying to remember where the clan was, when he heard Calyn speak from behind him. “Pleased, you have discovered your core. Now your power can never be lost to you.”

Din turned to the elcor, calming a bit once he realized he wasn’t alone. “Thank you. Now… I must leave for my… clan. They will be… wondering… where I am.”

The elcor nodded. “Saddened, you must leave for your people. But you know where to find me, shyly, should you wish to speak again.”

The volus waved at Calyn as he held his flame aloft, lighting the way back to his clan.


End file.
